With final practices coming up on Friday, I’ve already moved ahead in my mind to the next sport–Soccer. I’m only head coach of the 4-5 team, and assisting with the others. This ought to give me the needed break to clear my headspace and start developing a legitimate plan for coaching kids to success. I recognized last year that my weaknesses in coaching are in instilling discipline and confidence.
For the next season I don’t think I’ll even have kids deal with a ball until the second week. I want them out there moving, running, exercising, and learning about working with each other. The ball and subsequent ball skills will come later. Maybe I’ll have an extension of what I’m doing with the teams for this last practice–an incentive based practice system where kids are moved to challenge each other to prove who is the best at skills.
Either way, I recognize that coaching is now an integral part of my life and identity. There are kids in this town who only call me coach. Odd, but acceptable behavior. Whats more, I think I like it.